Woman, 80, falls prey to scam, pays more than $200K

Tuesday

May 7, 2013 at 1:09 PMMay 7, 2013 at 4:47 PM

She received calls saying she had won thousands in a sweepstakes but first had to pay taxes on the prize money.

By Austin L. MillerStaff writer

The woman began receiving phone calls telling her she had won thousands of dollars in sweepstakes, but before she could collect the winnings she had to pay taxes on the prize money. After paying more than $200,000 in "taxes" since the early part of 2012, the woman has yet to receive anything in return.

She said she has called the numbers she was given a number of times to inquire about her prize money but either received no response or was given the run around.

"I've sent money through the bank and the post office, and I've never received one red cent," said the 80-year-old woman, who requested her name not be used out of fear of being the victim of other scams.

Marion County Sheriff's Office Detective T.J. Watts noted in his report that the woman sent an $88,000 check to a person in Honduras, $20,000 to someone in Panama City and varying amounts of money to several different individuals in Jamaica, all via Moneygram and Western Union.

According to Capt. Jimmy Pogue, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office, seniors are a target for fraud because most of them have a "nest egg" saved up for retirement. He said when they realize they have been scammed, they are reluctant to call law enforcement because they are embarrassed and because sometimes it is difficult for them to remember details.

The woman in this case was at first reluctant to talk, saying her children were upset she fell for this type of scam.

Pogue said criminals who prey on seniors are usually outside the U.S., which makes it difficult for law enforcement officials to track them.

"The traditional form of contact is by phone or mail," Pogue said. "With baby boomers being more computer savvy, the scams are also on the computer."

The Sheriff's Office learned about another victim last month after officials with a bank contacted them because they had noted unusual withdrawals being made by a 78-year-old client and after she came to the bank, waiting for her "winnings" to be deposited into her account.

When the woman finally left the bank that day and went home, she was interviewed by a deputy. She said she had been contacted by "consumer affairs" out of Washington, D.C., and was told she had won millions of dollars in overseas lotteries and sweepstakes. From November 2012 to April, she said, she sent more than $95,000 to a company supposedly handling the claim.

While the deputy was speaking with the woman, someone from "consumer affairs" called and the deputy answered the phone. A man told the deputy the woman owed him more than $43,000 in unpaid fees. The man gave his name, but refused to give his phone number or the name of his business, then hung up.

The deputy noted in his report that the number the man was calling from was untraceable.

Pogue said scams against the elderly can range from such phone calls and phony businesses to many others, including fraudulent charities and investment opportunities.

Law enforcement officials suggest that family members of the elderly check on them frequently and know about their financial affairs and, if they fall victim to a scam, urge them to report it.